Related to the question about whether facial expressions are universal.

Are there words/verbal expressions/sounds that exist in every language and have the same meaning in every language?

(I’d also count words that are very similar.)

One example, that I believe is universal is M followed by a vowel followed by another M and optionally another vowel, meaning “Mother”.

At least in any language I know, this seems to hold true (mom, Mama, mamma, Mami, …).

Any other examples?

Edit: To clarify, I am not looking for very popular words that have been imported into most languages (like how almost everyone worldwide knows what Ketchup is), but about words that are “native” to humans. So if you pick someone from an uncontacted native tribe and tell them nothing, they would be able to understand/use that word/sound/verbal expression.

  • Square Singer@feddit.deOP
    2·
    2 years ago

    Very interesting! Thanks for the detail with the Georgian language words. I would have not expected that.

    But, still, both are words with consonant + vowel + consonant + vowel, so still kinda similar, but reversed to most languages I know.

    P. S. On the second thought - crying is quite universal, yeah.

    Yeah, I think most of the non-verbal sounds for emotions would be pretty universal. Crying, laughing, angrily screaming. I’d expect all tantrums by two-year-olds worldwide to sound about the same :)